September 08, 2006
The Land of Salmon and Wine
The rolling hills now known as “wine country” were once salmon country. Trout Unlimited is working with land owners to restore the coho salmon runs…
The North Coast, California
Around the turn of the millennium, the lands of two large timber companies changed hands. The new owners, Mendocino Redwood Company and Campbell Timberlands Group brought a conservation-based approach to land management. Trout Unlimited has been working closely with these companies to mitigate the damage left by the previous owners and improve instream habitat for salmon and steelhead.
While working with the timber companies is the major component of this effort called The North Coast Coho Project, the partnership has expanded to include vineyards, gravel mines, and homeowners. On the government side of things, California Department of Fish and Game and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provide technical support and funding.
Rob Dickerson works for TU, spearheading the North Coast Coho Project from his Santa Rosa office. Rob’s family has inhabited this part of California for generations. With the exception of stints as a geologist in the arid country to the east, Rob has called this coastal region home his entire life.
His 22 years in the geothermal energy business provide ample experience working with government agencies and private landowners, as well as writing the grants and project designs necessary to complete a large-scale restoration project.
What type of work is TU doing? Rob told me that much of the instream work involves restoring spawning and rearing habitat for coho salmon. This requires removing culverts to restore migration corridors, decommissioning or repairing poorly-designed logging roads that leach sediment into streams, and planting logs and root wads that scour pools and protect the fish. Coho salmon, an endangered species, are also very sensitive to light and restoring overhanging riparian vegetation is a boon to habitat quality.
The North Coast Coho Project is a massive effort, encompassing 10 major watersheds spread out over hundreds of miles. The first TU work in the area was undertaken by the North Bay Chapter in the 1980s. Their tremendous success in Lagunitas Creek encouraged TU to devote a full-time staff member to the project.
So far, TU and their private and government partners have removed countless culverts and replaced them with fish-friendly bridges. They have also decommissioned or repaired over 400 miles of dirt road, preventing tons of sediment from entering the streams.
Rob showed me the work on Austin Creek, a tributary to the Russian River. Substantial disturbance in the watershed has left the lower reaches of Austin Creek wide, straight, and choked with sediment. The stream acts as a migration corridor to the headwaters, but the water temperatures are warm and it lacks the pools and structure required by juvenile salmonids.
In the last few years, TU and their partners have placed boulders and logs to scour pools and create holding water. The local gravel mine has also agreed to modify their practices to reduce their impact on salmon migration.
The next step is starting a captive broodstock program that will use the offspring of wild salmon in neighboring Russian River tributaries to kick start the Austin Creek population.
Click HERE to see photos of the Austin Creek improvement work and the scenic California coast.
Click HERE to read more about the North Coast Coho Project.
Elsewhere in California
While in CA, I also had the opportunity to fish the McCloud River. The town of Redding is within striking distance of numerous world-class trout waters. I read about Hat Creek, the Sacramento, and the Pit in the glossy magazines as a kid; however, it was an article about the McCloud that struck the deepest chord and I was glad to have the opportunity to visit this river.
The McCloud is a lot like the Metolius… crystal clear, fast, deep, and cold. I was surprised by its backwoods location. I figured fishing in Cali would involve streamside latte stands and tons of anglers, but I had the place to myself deep in the forested hills.
In the midday heat, the fishing was tough. Translation: I was skunked! I tried fishing the fast pocket water, the slow, deep pools, and everything in between, but I hardly saw a fish. I look forward to someday returning to the McCloud and the other rivers in the area when I can put in a little more time.
Click HERE to see a few photos from the McCloud.
I also talked to Howard Kern, an active TU volunteer from the Los Angeles area, via telephone. While Howard and I couldn’t find a mutually convenient time to meet, I want to mention the impressive golden trout project that Southern California TUers and a cohort of non-profit and government partners have undertaken in the Sierra Nevada.
The colorful golden trout is California’s state fish. I angled for an introduced population of these beauties in Montana earlier in the summer. Click HERE to visit that blog entry and see photos of a golden.
Back in California, TUers and their partners are installing riparian zone fencing to protect the fragile high alpine streams from cattle. They are also planting willows to help stabilize the banks and surveying the creeks to determine the genetic purity of the remaining goldens. Click HERE to visit a great website about this project.
Now I’m traveling from Napa to Nampa, to meet with Idaho’s Ted Trueblood Chapter. Stay “TUned!”
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September 06, 2006
Unfinished Business
I’ve left runners on base in Oregon. I simply couldn’t cover it all in my first two posts. Well, the clean-up batter is warmed up and it’s the bottom of the 9th, so read on about TU in Oregon…
Mt Jefferson looms over the Metolius River
In the Portland area, I fished the Clackamas and the Salmon Rivers briefly. Portland is not a bad spot for the city-bound angler. Situated at the junction of the Willamette and the mighty Columbia, there is no shortage of flowing water.
Elizabeth Dubovsky, a Portland-based TU staffer working on the Pacific Salmon Program, took me to the Salmon River after a day in the office. Yes, residents of Portland can easily make it to the river for a little post-work angling.
As Elizabeth tied on an elk hair caddis, we watched a 10 or so pound salmonid swim by. In the late evening light we couldn’t determine if it was a salmon or a steelhead, but I opted to swing a steelhead fly either way. Elizabeth caught rainbows on her dry while I got skunked with my big purple leech.
The next day, I checked out the Clackamas. The Clack is another favorite haunt for Portland area residents. In fact, the Portland-area TU chapter chose to name their group after this river. One of the more active chapters in the state, the Clackamas River Chapter also works in the Metolius River Watershed, improving conditions for bull trout.
I met Matt Stansberry of the new McKenzie- Upper Willamette Chapter (Eugene, OR) on the Metolius after visiting the Deschutes (Click HERE if you haven’t already read about my experience on the Deschutes). The Metolius is a major tributary to the Deschutes. It is an interesting river that is fed by large, ice-cold springs. The surrounding ponderosa pine park country resembles Central Colorado… except for the looming volcanic cone of Mt Jefferson that is.
The water is crystal clear and the trout are tough! Much of the river is deep and the parts that aren’t deep are fast. The trout definitely have the advantage and they demand proficiency on the part of the angler.
Matt and I decided to chase bull trout with large streamers. The Metolius is one of the nation’s top bull trout fisheries. Bull trout thrive in the clean, 40 degree spring water. We waited out the hot part of the afternoon and hit the water at the same time as the shadows. We tossed heavy, gaudy streamers towards likely lies, including one pool known as the “dolly hole” (bull trout are often referred to as dolly varden, a similar char).
Unfortunately, the resident trout were not impressed.
The McKenzie-Upper Willamette Chapter is not the only new TU group in the state. TUers in Bend have started their own chapter on the Deschutes. Unfortunately, I was not able to coordinate schedules with the new Bend TUers, probably because all of us were too busy fishing! There is a lifetime of angling options in the area.
After meeting with Mike Cooley of the Middle Rogue Steelheaders (click HERE to read more), I journeyed to Medford, where Mike Beagle serves as TU’s Oregon and Washington Field Coordinator. Beagle spends much of his time raising awareness and interest amongst sports-men and -women about the importance of roadless and wilderness areas.
One current proposal is the Copper Salmon Wilderness, 12,000 acres of steep country above the Elk River. The Elk is home to salmon and steelhead runs and protecting the headwaters can only help these sensitive species.
Elsewhere in the state, the proposed Mt. Hood Wilderness would protect fish and game habitat in Portland's backyard. In Southern Oregon, a grazing buyout bill would establish a 23,000 acre wildlands area within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.
Before joining TU’s staff, Beagle taught history and coached baseball at Oregon high schools. While he remains a baseball fanatic, he enjoys his new post with TU.
“I work for my kids every day,” Beagle told me. By protecting hunting and fishing grounds today we can ensure the next generation will have a place to enjoy these pastimes.
I’m pleased to report that TU is “going to bat” for future hunters and anglers from coast-to-coast. Contact your local chapter to find out how you can help.
Click HERE to learn more about our nation's last roadless areas
Click HERE to read a .pdf about roadless areas in Oregon
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September 03, 2006
TU's Rogue Steelheaders
I watched a giant chinook porpoise in the day’s first light. The salmon’s exposed back revealed its enormous size before it returned to the dark depths of the Rogue River…
The Rogue River, OR
“Try a little more scent,” Mike Cooley, president of the Middle Rogue Steelheaders Chapter of TU, suggested.
We were angling one of Cooley’s favorite holes from his aluminum driftboat.
I have spent a good portion of my young life on rivers and streams, but I have never fished like we were today. We were throwing a diving crankbait complete with a sonic chip and extra concentrated crayfish scent. This was also my first time chasing the king of all salmonids, the chinook salmon.
Since I was “a fish out of water,” I did my best to follow Cooley’s instructions.
The crayfish scent masks foreign odors, to which the finicky chinook are highly sensitive. After coating the 4” long, neon-colored lure in the stinky stuff, I flicked it overboard and let the current take it downstream. This was all for the best because I probably would have back-spooled the bait-casting reel had I tried to actually cast. I was a spin fisherman until the age of 9 or so, but since then I have rarely put down my fly rod.
The fly rod would have been largely ineffective for these chinooks, Cooley informed me, and if I wanted a decent shot at a salmon, I’d need the appropriate set-up.
My lure hung in the current 50’ or so downstream from the boat. The large lip caused it to wobble, relaying a twitch to the rod tip. Cooley slowly rowed the boat upstream, positioning my lure in the best lies. He was doing the real work, I just had to hold the rod and keep my fingers crossed. We both hoped a chinook would be moved to strike.
The Middle Rogue Steelheaders (MRS) chapter is the most active TU group in Oregon. Based out Grants Pass in the south-central part of the state, the MRS chapter keeps busy on the middle section of the Rogue River, one of the best steelhead and salmon fisheries in the lower 48.
The chapter focuses its efforts on tree plantings, stream habitat improvement projects, and improving river safety.
One such safety project is the re-construction of the Hog Creek Boat Ramp. The ramp, one of the most heavily used access points on the Rogue River, was plagued by serious safety hazards. The MRS approached the situation proactively and raised the awareness and the money necessary to re-construct the ramp.
The strong and active membership of the MRS regularly assists watershed associations and government agencies with tree plantings and stream habitat improvement projects on the Rogue and its tributaries. The level of hands-on physical labor performed by the chapter is particularly impressive considering that most members are retirees in their “golden years.”
The MRS chapter also conducts regular stream cleanups on their home river and maintains signage to educate anglers and the general public about salmon and the importance of the Rogue.
Local home owners don’t always keep the health of the river in mind. On our float down the Rogue, Cooley pointed out numerous examples of illegal riparian zone clearing. Riverside homeowners have removed riparian vegetation to “improve their view.” Unfortunately, stripping the banks also subjects their property to erosion that will eventually whisk their lawn (and maybe their home) towards the sea, depositing harmful sediment in the river. A few property owners have even trucked in sand to create private riverside beaches!
Middle Rogue Steelheaders actively report these illegal activities to numerous agencies, but so far no officials have paid them much heed. Small non-point sources of water pollution like these add up towards a considerable detriment to river health. Hopefully the county and the state will get their act together and start enforcing the law.
In the meantime, the MRS chapter has started an educational campaign to inform riverside property owners about the value of an intact riparian buffer.
While the Middle Rogue Steelheaders donate a lot of time and their back muscles to conservation projects, they also enjoy chapter sponsored fishing outings. Cooley tells me that the opportunity to learn about angling the Rogue is the number one draw for new members.
The chapter’s annual fall salmon derby is a fun opportunity to fish the Rogue as well as raise money for the chapter. The derby is held at the peak of the chinook salmon run in late September.
Needless to say, I did not time my trip with the peak of the run. After a full morning on the water, I was still fishless. I guess I used up my beginner’s luck while steelheading earlier in the week.
If you visit the Rogue this fall or winter, your odds will be much better. The salmon and steelhead will soon enter the river en masse and the Middle Rogue Steelheaders will be there to greet them.
Click HERE to see my photos of the Rogue.
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September 01, 2006
Oregon Steelhead
Tying into a steelhead was my number one goal while in Oregon. I had never fished for these powerful sea-run rainbows and I was eager to make the most of my time on the water. Well I guess the photo ruins the suspense of this story, but keep reading and I’ll spill the details of my steelheading experience as well as share what I learned about some fine conservation efforts in the Beaver State…
Deschutes River Summer Steelhead
I crossed the Columbia River and found myself in Portland. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a city with so many bridges and overpasses. I maneuvered my way across the Willamette to downtown, where TU’s west coast office is located.
Elizabeth Dubovsky and Kate Miller gave me a sunny Oregon welcome. At a nearby seafood restaurant, Elizabeth and Kate filled me in on the activities of the Portland office.
Elizabeth has been working on the “Why Wild?” initiative. Through this effort, TU and their partners hope to educate the public about wild salmon. “Why Wild?” recommends a holistic approach to salmon restoration. The campaign stresses the importance of focusing our actions on the “4H’s:” habitat, harvest, hydropower, and hatcheries.
While most anglers recognize the difference between hatchery and wild salmonids, your average fish-market patron is not so savvy. One of the goals of the “Why Wild?” program is to educate consumers about the benefits of eating wild salmon captured from sustainable American stocks.
These wild-caught fish taste better and contain fewer harmful chemicals than salmon raised in fish farms. In addition, managed harvest of healthy wild fisheries is environmentally sound, while most commercial fish farms do tremendous harm to our coldwater and marine resources.
By improving our management of the 4H’s, TU believes we can protect our remaining wild salmon stocks (primarily in Alaska) as well as restore the fish runs in the lower 48.
Saving our salmon will be a long uphill battle. Twenty-five different major populations of Pacific Coast trout and salmon are recognized as threatened or endangered.
In the lower 48, large dams complicate migration in most of the major rivers. Over a century of heavy logging, grazing, and development has diminished habitat quality in the smaller streams and rivers. The remaining pristine rivers in Alaska are threatened by large-scale mining proposals as well as road construction and heavy logging in steep, sensitive watersheds.
Commercial fish farms, comparable to floating cattle feed lots, pollute estuaries and the escapees threaten the genetic purity of our wild fish. We are becoming more and more dependent on hatchery reared salmon and steelhead for recreational fishing as well, but many scientists doubt the fitness of these man-made specimens. Hatchery reared fish provide us with another tool in our quest to save the salmon, but they can also mask the underlying problems created by habitat loss, dams, and decades of over-harvest.
While the situation is dire, I believe there is a little light at the end of the tunnel. For starters, these fish have evolved to survive and they continue to surprise us with their tenacity and ability to overcome the odds. We just need to give salmon a chance and they’ll persevere.
Secondly, there is strong economic incentive to restore wild salmon. The loss of commercial fisheries is a huge blow to coastal communities. Viable fish stocks have financial and social value on the Pacific coast. Recreational angling is another important money-maker that depends on salmon.
And while the benefits of wild salmon to the ecosystem, the health benefits to the consumer, and the joy inspired by a tugging Chinook on a fishing line are tough things to quantify, they are all important reasons to restore our wild fish stocks as well.
In Washington, I visited with TUers who are making real progress improving spawning and rearing habitat as well as getting fish around large dams. Trout Unlimited is involved in similar initiatives in Oregon.
The Portland TU staff is comprised of policy experts who go to bat for salmon in the legal arena. Kate Miller is the newest addition to TU’s roster. After interning with TU, going to law school, practicing law in her home state of Washington, Kate is back with TU as a Legal Analyst.
Dam relicensing provides a great opportunity for TU’s salmon gurus to improve the future for wild fish. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issues hydropower dam licenses for 30-50 years. When that time is close to expiring, the dam owners must apply for a new permit. To get their permit, the owners must prove that they are taking appropriate steps to help fish and wildlife.
The Deschutes River is arguably the best fishery in Oregon. The face of the river changed indelibly in 1957 when construction of the Pelton-Round Butte Dam complex commenced. The complex is composed of three dams. The big ones named Pelton and Round Butte produce electricity while the third is a reregulating structure that helps control water flow to mitigate some of the negative impacts to the fish.
While water flow has been successfully maintained, the original measures to maintain fish passage flopped and the dams blocked off to over two hundred miles of spawning and rearing habitat.
Adult fish could make it upstream through a network of ladders and other fish passage measures, but swirling warm and cold water currents in Billy Chinook Reservoir prevented the smolt from finding the route downstream. Fifty years later, this problem has yet to be resolved.
Fortunately, the lower 97 miles of river still provides some of the most productive steelhead and salmon water in the lower 48. Not only that, but the trout fishing both above and below the dams is excellent. The Metolius River is a stronghold for bull trout. The mainstem Deschutes offers a healthy population of feisty redband trout.
Still, with the dam complex’s license up for renewal, the owners, government agencies, and conservation groups (including Trout Unlimited) agreed to collaborate with the interest of fish in mind. Portland General Electric (PGE) and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation share ownership of the dams and both parties have actively studied the needs of trout and salmon in the Deschutes.
The owners are now planning on investing $121 million (in 2003 dollars) for fish-related projects over the next half a century. The cornerstone of their efforts will be a 270-foot tall selective water withdrawal tower that will hopefully re-direct the lake currents, allowing the smolt to find a new fish passage facility, as well as give dam operators control of the downstream water temperature. Restoring the historic temperature regime will assist Chinook salmon in the lower river and bull trout in the reservoirs.
The new withdrawal tower should be completed by 2008. By 2010, everyone hopes that adult steelhead and salmon will once again return to the upper Deschutes.
Don Ratliff, senior fisheries biologist at PGE, gave me a tour of the facilities. See the photos by clicking HERE. Don has been working on the Deschutes for 35 years and I couldn’t have found a better guide to teach me about the fisheries in the area.
Of all the interesting things I learned while on the Deschutes, I was most surprised to learn that steelhead spawn in tiny streams. Even the tributaries that can be entirely dry in the summer offer important spawning habitat.
I visited one small tributary, Wychus Creek, with a PGE electrofishing crew. The crew is sampling resident trout populations in historic sea-run fish spawning waters. Steelhead and salmon smolts will compete with these trout for habitat and food. Click HERE to see the photos.
After touring the project site, Don and I went steelheading downstream near the town of Maupin. At one of Don’s favorite riffles, we swung flies methodically. The technique seems simple, but it takes years to master.
The angler casts a fly down-and-across the river and then lets the fly swing with the current. The fly rides a few inches under the surface of the water. When the fly is directly downstream, the angler takes a step towards the ocean and then repeats the process.
The trick is to swing the fly at the right speed through the right water. Steelhead often hold at the drop-off immediately downstream of a riffle, but they can also be found in fast pocket water and even slow moving pools.
Local knowledge is key and I was glad to approach the Deschutes with Don’s guidance. We had a couple hours of fishing time after the dropped behind the canyon wall but before sunset. Towards the bottom of the first beat, I felt the distinct tap of a fish on my line. Immediately my adrenaline was pumping, but the fish must have just nipped the tail of my egg-sucking leech.
Steelheading is an exercise in faith. The best steelheaders always believe the fish are out there, even when they haven’t seen one for days. Still, it is a lot easier to stay focused when you’ve had a strike and I plied the water with increased zeal.
One riffle down, I was swinging my fly through Don’s most productive water. The riffle broke in front of a large boulder, creating great holding water. “You should get a strike right there.” Don predicted as my fly swung in front of the rock. On my second cast, I again felt the electric tap of a fish on the line, but again the fish avoided the business end of the hook.
Already I’d had a world class steelheading experience. Steelheaders must expect to go days, weeks, months, and even entire seasons without a strike. I was definitely benefiting from beginners luck and loving every minute of it.
With ten minutes of fishing light left, a third fish interrupted my drift. This one took the hook and the fight was on. After one quick run and a jump for good measure, I wrestled the fish to hand. My 8/9 weight striper rod was a little overkill for the 23” hatchery-raised steelhead, but I didn’t want to lose a fish if I was lucky enough to hook one and there are some 20 pound brutes in the brawling Deschutes.
I now have the steelheading bug and I look forward to returning in search of my first wild steelhead trout. I encourage you to make the trip yourself. I’ve heard that one 1/4th of all the steelhead in the Columbia River System enter the Deschutes for at least a little while. This river is definitely the place to be for those of us who can’t afford the journey to Alaska or British Columbia.
And the improvements in fish passage and water temperature will only help the fishing for decades to come!
If you can’t shut down your computer and catch the next flight to Portland, visit these links; it's the next best thing:
My photos of the Deschutes River
TU’s Why Wild? Campaign
TU’s Pacific Salmon Page
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August 23, 2006
The Best Laid Plans
I was excited when my alarm went off at 4am. I was going fishing. Not only that, I was going fishing for huge salmon in the salt…
Dawn breaks over the Puget Sound, WA
After a quick stop for coffee and donuts, I was at the dock on the east side of the Puget Sound before 5. Mark Taylor, chair of the Washington TU Council, beat me there and we loaded his boat. Mark had been catching king salmon every morning all week and the tide was perfect on this particular day. We anticipated a fine morning on the water.
I’ve always considered myself to be a big time fish geek, but Mark definitely has me beat. An avid angler, Mark is attempting to catch as many species of fish as he can. I think he told me he is up to 237 or so. In addition, Mark guides anglers through his company, Raven’s Luck Guide Service. The rest of the time, Mark works as an aquarium fish distributor, so he spends time with fish from all over the world.
I was hoping to check Chinook salmon off my own, very informal, species list, but even the best laid plans…
Unfortunately, Mark’s boat was experiencing technical difficulties and we were unable to reach the fishing grounds. Such is life as the “Luckiest Guy in America.” These things can happen on any fishing trip, but they are particularly unavoidable during a 5+ month angling voyage.
While we were both disappointed about missing out on double digit salmon, all was not lost. I still had a fine TU project site to visit.
After another round of coffee and donuts (early mornings call for extreme measures), I met with Andy Batcho, a longtime TUer affiliated with the Des Moines Salmon Chapter.
Des Moines is a seaside hamlet on the south side of Seattle. Historically, the small coastal streams in the area held salmon runs. And now that the big rivers are obstructed by dams, small stream salmon populations are particularly important.
Andy and his fellow chapter members have undertaken an impressive, multi-faceted restoration project on two local small streams.
Walker and Miller Creeks flow behind houses and through a community park before finding the ocean. They were devoid of fish for 50 years, but thanks to the Des Moines Chapter’s restoration work, hundreds of adult salmon now return each year.
Andy is a retired Boeing engineer turned full-time “Fish-head.” When he is not out seeking state and world records with his fly rod, Andy is designing and implementing stream habitat projects.
Using his technical abilities as an engineer, Andy set about learning whatever he could about stream design. He tracked down experts from all over the state and tapped their brains about improving habitat, restoring native plants, re-establishing wetlands, and so on. Andy reports that experts from universities and government agencies are thrilled to share their own two cents about stream restoration plans, allowing laypersons (or retired engineers anyway) to design highly effective stream improvement projects. The best projects are usually a product of the best laid plans.
Furthermore Andy has found that “When you turn out a fantastic plan, money falls out of the sky.” Particularly when wetland restoration is involved, state and federal agencies have financial resources available for making these projects happen.
In a seemingly tireless effort, Andy and his fellow chapter members created great restoration plans for their two little creeks and secured the necessary funding. They then enlisted the help of the community to make their ideas reality.
Since 2004, they have built a saltwater marsh and a natural rearing pond, greatly increasing the success of salmon smolts and coastal cutthroat. During my visit, they were working on restoring pools in a section of stream in front of a community recreation building. The pools will provide cover for adult fish on their spawning run as well as protection for immature fish before they leave for the ocean.
In addition, the community has been involved in re-planting native vegetation and constructing a trail system around the newly improved stream.
Numerous boy scouts have completed Eagle Scout projects here. We visited briefly with one scout who was constructing 123 feet of raised plank trail to protect the stream’s riparian zone, yet still allow the community to use the park.
Details such as the construction of the trail loop have helped the project earn support from the entire community, even the residents who don’t necessarily care about fish.
And I’d bet that even those folks who only thought about fish while sitting in a restaurant had a change of heart when they first saw spawning salmon in their own backyard.
By empowering the community with a good restoration plan, the Des Moines Salmon TU Chapter is completing a large-scale effort that is producing real results. Kudos to Andy Batcho and the other hardworking TUers who made this fine project possible!
To see photos of the project site and coastal cutthroats, CLICK HERE.
To learn more about TU in Washington, CLICK HERE.
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August 21, 2006
Dammed-nation
Flowing through the north end of Olympic National Park, the Elwha River is a beautiful wilderness stream. The water is tainted with glacial till, giving it a turquoise glint that contrasts with the rich green forest. The river looks like perfect salmon habitat and while walking along the Elwha’s banks, I half expected to see 50 pound Chinooks in the pool tails…
A Beautiful Pool, Elwha River, Olympic Nat'l Park, WA
Historically, the Elwha hosted some of the largest Chinook salmon in the country, but two dams now block salmon and steelhead from accessing most of the river. Fortunately, the National Park Service is planning on removing both dams. The removal project is slated to begin as soon as 2008.
To the best of my knowledge, a major Pacific Coast dam has yet to be removed, although several removal projects are in the works. While constructing fish ladders and trucking fish around dams are better than nothing, removing superfluous dams (like the Elwha dams) is the best way to help the fish.
Dam removal is not an easy process. For starters, decades worth of sediment is trapped behind the structures and the sudden release of this sediment could damage freshwater or marine life. In addition, flood control and many other factors must be considered. If dam removals are done sensibly though, they could greatly improve numerous fisheries in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Closer to home, the Milltown Dam on the Clark Fork River near Missoula, MT will be removed soon. The sediment behind Milltown contains high concentrations of heavy metals, threatening Missoula’s water supply and a fine trout fishery. In the end, removing the dam will improve the health of the river and the trout fishery.
I hope that after a few dam removal projects are successfully completed over the next decade that the “ice (or the dam) will be broken” and more dam removals will follow.
For now, rainbow trout and dolly varden char (a species that is very similar to the bull trout) still live above the dams on the Elwha River. I hiked 9 miles up the trail, in search of these beautiful native fish. I only encountered small rainbow trout, but I’ve heard of 14-18” rainbows and even larger dolly vardens in this river.
Perhaps the larger fish are in a different stretch of river, or maybe they migrate up from the reservoir seasonally. Although the fishing was less than spectacular, I enjoyed exploring this beautiful valley and wading in the cold, clear river.
I hope to return after the dam removal just to see the large ocean-run fish in this beautiful place. Take a look at these photos to get a taste of the Elwha… and then go visit it for yourself.
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August 20, 2006
Seeing Green: The Value of Salmon
Above the Tacoma Water supply pipe, much of the Green River watershed is closed to general public access. Not only does the closure keep the city’s water pure, but it also creates a beautiful forest reserve. While this section of the Green River appears pristine, one of the largest pieces is missing from the ecosystem. Two dams block migrating salmon… for now anyway…
The Upper Green River Watershed
In 1989, the South King County Chapter of Trout Unlimited sued Tacoma Water, the city of Tacoma’s public utility. Fortunately, this is one of those rare cases where a friendship has evolved out of a lawsuit. Both parties quickly realized it was in their best interest to get along and a valuable partnership was formed.
Until the lawsuit, Tacoma Water did little to help the salmon and steelhead in the Green River. In fact, their water diversion was designed to block salmon, to prevent the accumulation of post-spawn fish carcasses upstream of the municipal water supply pipe.
Salmon are crucial to the ecosystem in the Northwest. Nutrients from the dead fish are important to aquatic life, as well as the surrounding forest. All sorts of animals feed on the salmon carcasses, bringing the nutrients ashore, where even giant old-growth trees benefit from the marine-derived energy.
Today, Tacoma Water is committed to restoring salmon and steelhead runs in the Green. Paul Hickey, Tacoma Water’s Water Resource Planning Coordinator, and Dana Smith, President of the South King TU Chapter, gave me a tour of a few of the many coldwater conservation initiatives in the Green River system.
The most important step towards restoring the salmon runs is getting the fish around the dams. Tacoma Water and the Army Corps of Engineers are in the process of constructing a fish bypass system that will open 100 miles of upstream spawning habitat to Chinook and coho salmon, as well as steelhead (ocean-run rainbow trout). To do this, the fish will need to pass Tacoma Water’s dam as well as the Army Corps’ Howard Hanson Dam, a large flood control structure located just upstream.
The only way to get adult salmon around both of these obstructions is to load them into trucks and drive them to the upstream side of the Army Corps dam. The returning adult steelhead (unlike salmon, many steelhead survive the spawning run) and the juvenile steelhead and salmon will also need to be loaded into trucks and delivered to the ocean side of the dams.
While it may sound simple, Tacoma Water and the Army Corps of Engineers are investing a lot of money in state-of-the-art fish capture stations, to ensure the safe handling of the salmon and the overall success of the effort. Tacoma Water’s station has already been completed and Paul showed me how it works.
Here is the simplified explanation: The adult salmon are lead into a fish ladder, where they climb a series of waterfalls and rest pools to a chute. One at a time, the fish slide through the chute into a loading tank. The entire tank is then picked up and put on a truck and the fish are driven upstream.
The Tacoma Water fish station also facilitates the downstream passage of juvenile salmon smolts. The smolts are screened out of the water supply pipe on the upstream side of the diversion. They are then run through a pipe and trough network that resembles that kid’s game “Mousetrap” before they take a 10-15 foot plunge over a specially designed waterfall, safely re-uniting them with their natal river.
Paul is anxiously awaiting the passage of the first wild salmon; however, Tacoma Water must wait for the Army Corps to finish their structure. After all, it doesn’t make much sense to move the fish upstream if there is no way for their offspring to make it back down. Hopefully, the Howard Hanson Dam fish bypass will be completed in 2009.
We visited the construction site at the Howard Hanson Dam where Tom Wilkin and Mel Lathan, two of the Army Corps’ Quality Assurance personnel, described their side of the project. From the rim of the dam, Tom and Mel pointed into the abyss of the construction site, describing where the fish transfer station will soon be built. I know these things can go up fast, but it was hard for me to imagine the final product while looking into the massive gap beside the dam.
In the meantime, both Tacoma Water and the Army Corps are doing what they can to improve the upstream habitat, so the stream will be ready once the salmon arrive. Paul, Mel, and Tom proudly described the habitat work much like expectant parents show off a pastel colored room outfitted with a new crib. Both organizations are placing large woody debris (a.k.a. logs) to create juvenile salmon rearing habitat. Tacoma Water is also replacing road culverts with bridges, re-opening small tributaries to salmon passage.
In addition to improving the upstream habitat, Tacoma Water and the Army Corps are working on the habitat below the dams. Dams not only block salmon, they also impede the movement of logs and gravel. Large woody debris creates pools and provides overhead cover for trout and salmon of all sizes. It also traps nutrients in the system, increasing the productivity of the entire food chain. Placing woody debris downstream from the dams helps mitigate the negative effects of these structures.
Behind the wood, they deposit large loads of gravel. The dams also block the movement of the substrate, reducing the accumulation of the fine rock that salmon and trout require for spawning. By improving the spawning and rearing habitat below the dams, everyone is hoping to increase the number of fish that might someday take the drive around the obstructions.
Why are these projects receiving so much support from city and federal agencies, non-profits including TU, and the general public? As Dana Smith puts it, “Salmon and steelhead are a large part of the culture of the Northwest.” Salmon are important economically, recreationally, and even socially. We can’t take back the mistakes of the past, but by restoring these magnificent creatures to the upper Green River and other waters, we can improve the future for both humans and the environment.
Please take a look at my photos by clicking HERE.
Posted by ladelfio at 11:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 18, 2006
The Rainier the Better
Mount Rainier National Park is not an angling destination. Walk along a park road with a fly rod in hand and passing drivers will gawk at you like you are nuts. Trust me, I personally experienced this a couple days ago. Still, there are fish in the rivers draining this massive peak. Some of the trout are rare, a few are even big, and many are undiscovered…
Ben Wright night snorkeling for trout, Rainier Nat'l Park, WA
My friend Ben Wright works for Mount Rainier National Park, assessing fish populations in the rivers, streams, and lakes. I’m not the only one with an enviable fishing job; Ben has a good gig as well. His work involves “hook and line sampling,” electrofishing, and snorkeling for the park’s cutthroat, rainbow, and bull trout. Ben, his boss Heather Moran, and Tracy, a Student Conservation Association intern, capture fish to make population estimates as well as collect samples for a genetics study.
Ben spends much of the field season with a fly rod in hand, trying to catch as many fish as possible.
The bull trout are of particular interest since they are listed as “Threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. Ben and Tracy took me to Fryingpan Creek, a glacier fed stream known to host bull trout. We tossed olive and black streamers into the milky flow.
The habitat quality in this stream is marginal. The water runs fast and off color thanks to its glacial origins. But surprisingly, Fryingpan holds fish and every now and then a bull trout would attack our offerings. We fought the fish quickly and gently, collected the fin samples we needed for the genetics study, and let these rare trout go unharmed. If you haven’t seen a bull trout, CLICK HERE to see my photos.
That night, we returned to the water to night snorkel for coastal cutthroat in a small creek. Ben and Heather did the snorkeling while Tracy and I assisted with our heads above water. Snorkeling is an effective research tool… and it is a lot of fun!
Ben and Heather donned dry suits, masks, and snorkels. They crawled along the stream bottom, scanning likely pools with a high-powered flashlight. Much like deer, trout are stunned by a bright light in the middle of the night, making them relatively easy to net. It was interesting to observe how comfortable trout are in the dark. These fish were sitting in the middle of pools and they seemed to have little fear of predation.
The following day, we hiked into another small coastal cutthroat stream for a second session of hook and line sampling. The challenge was keeping the little buggers on the hook! When you are collecting samples for scientific purposes, it is important to get the fish in the net. Ben and I were able to land half a dozen, but we lost many fold more. I finally resorted to holding my net in my line hand while casting. When I hooked a 3-6 inch trout I would immediately hoist it out of the water and into my waiting net. It was sort of like playing some odd form of trout basketball.
In addition to these populations of small fish, Rainier is home to lakes that hold 18” rainbows. However, the Mud Mountain Dam has obstructed most of the big fish from entering the park. Historically, anadromous (ocean-running) bull trout, steelhead, and Chinook salmon were found in these waters.
Of course, the obstruction of fish passage is a major problem caused by dams all over the country, but in the Northwest in particular. Stay "TUned" to the blog as I’ll be writing about the creative and ambitious projects TUers have undertaken to help fish travel around these structures.
In the meantime, enjoy THESE PHOTOS from Rainier National Park.
Posted by ladelfio at 01:00 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
